When maneuvering ships it is often beneficial to know the exact angle in which the rudder is directed in relation to the wheel of the ship. Knowing the exact position of the rudder is critical in preventing collisions, especially when maneuvering through tight channels or pulling away from a dock. As such, many mariners utilize a rudder position indicator to display the angle of the rudder as the ship wheel is turned. A typical rudder position indicator features a rotatable needle within a casing and is attached to the center of the ship wheel. As the ship wheel is turned, the needle adjusts accordingly to display the angle of the rudder. Most rudder position indicators are attached to the ship wheel using a piece of adhesive applied on the back of the casing. When calibrated correctly most rudder position indicators are generally accurate in their display of the rudder angle, however, it is common for many rudder position indicators to become misaligned. This misalignment is often a result of the helmsman spinning the ship wheel faster than the needle can respond to gravity. In order to recalibrate the needle, the helmsman must detach the rudder position indicator from the ship wheel, zero the needle, and reapply the rudder position indicator to the ship wheel. Removing the rudder position indicator is troublesome in that it is inconvenient and can cause damage to the paint or finish of the ship wheel. Additionally, continually detaching and reattaching the rudder position indicator can cause the adhesive to lose its effectiveness and thus require replacement.
Therefore it is the object of the present invention to provide a gravity-driven rudder position indicator that reduces the opportunity for misalignment and can be recalibrated without being detached in the event that misalignment occurs. The rudder position indicator includes a gear assembly having an angle indicator and a position indicator assembly having an angle indicator panel. Both the gear assembly and the position indicator assembly are housed within an indicator case; the angle indicator being rotatably mounted in order to deflect in relation to the angle indicator panel to depict the current rudder angle. A dampening fluid is filled within the indicator case as well, and acts to reduce the possibility of misalignment by reducing wobble of the angle indicator during quick movements of a ship wheel. The indicator case is attached to the ship wheel by means of a mounting case; the mounting case being attached to the ship wheel using an adhesive. The indicator case is rotatably positioned into the mounting case and is stepped, such that the indicator case can be locked in and out of position to calibrate the angle indicator.